This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
PE
pear
hi
i was just wondering what the analogue channels will show on screen when it goes digital will it be a message saying go digital or will it be a tescard or will we just loose the signal all together and get nohting.
BBC TWO will be turned off first, and a message will be displayed on screen on that channel telling people when it will be turned off. The other channels will follow after that. It is likely a caption will be displayed on the frequency occupied by the channels for a short period after switch off.
Bear in mind that the government's not turning the analogue signal off for fun; the analogue spectrum will no doubt be auctioned off for other uses (hopefully including more DTT bandwidth)
Anyway, we all know that regions have been given specific years for when analogue will be turned off, but will the channels display the slide in all regions simultaniously, and if so, when will a date be confirmed?
It is likely that a caption will be superimposed over the broadcasts warning that they are about to stop, and I suspect giving a phone number to call for more information. (There is one currrently running on BBC World detailing the end of their analogue satellite broadcasts in Europe AIUI)
It may be that on switch-off day itself the service is stopped instantly, as if it is in the band of spectrum that the government is retaining for broadcast use, digital transmissions may start on the same frequency, to improve DTT coverage, or to allow DTT transmissions in the area the government no longer wishes to be used for broadcast to be moved.
What is very unlikely is that the transmitters will stay running for long periods after the service has ceased - after all the electricity bill for them is quite high!